CHINESE IMMIGRATION. This subject lirst assumed importance in the United States about the year 1870, although legislation hostile to the Chinese began in California in 1855. The California Legislature investigated the subject in 1862 and the United States Congress sent a joint special committee to the Pacific Coast in 1876. the voluminous report of which gives the most authentic information on the subject yet published. (Rep. 44th Cong. 2d Sess. Sen. R. 689. pp. 12s1, Wash. 1877).
p to 1868 the United States was trying to compel China to admit Americans into that country for the pursuit of trade and commerce. The first treaty (1814) with China gave Ameri cans the right of residence in five ports and gave them the of extra-territorial con sular jurisdiction. The Americans, though not participating in the Chinese war of 1858, secured all of the privileges obtained by other nations, which were stipulated in the Reed Treaty of 1838. Nothing was said in these treaties about Chinese in America. who came here under the same conch tions as the citizens of other nations. The Bur lingame Treaty of 1868 deprecated involuntary iminigration—aimed at coolie labor—but de clared the right of migration to be an inherent one, and a special resolution of Congress (July 27, 186S) declared the right of expatriation to be a natural and inherent right of all people, the obstruction or restriction of which is incon sistent with the fundamental principles of the republic. This declaration became subsequently an object of embarrassment in dealing with the Chinese when anti-Chinese feeling on the Pacific Coast made it necessary for both political parties in 1876 to insert anti-Chinese planks in their platforms. The question of abrogating the treaty of 1SGS was discussed in Colvress. A bill to restrict Chinese immigration passed both Houses of Congress in 1879, but was vetoed by President Hayes because it violated the Treaty of 1S6S. A commission was sent to China in 18s0 to nego tiate a new treaty to permit the absolute prohibition of Chinese immigration. The Treaty of 18S0 declared that Government of the United States may regulate. limit. or suspend such coni nig rr resid•nee. but may not absolutely prohibit it." The treaty further stated that the limitation must be reasynable and apply only to Chinese laborer:. The act of 1882 suspended the immi gTat ion of Chinese laborers for tell years and gave those in the United or tho, who should arrive within 90 day; after the passage of the act the right to remain. but forbade the
naturalization of Chinese, and the act applied to 1 oth skilled and unskilled laborers. The act was amended in 1888, while a treaty. in which the Chinese Government undertook to prohibit Chi nese laborers from coming to the United States, and our Government agreed to protect those here from the violence and outrages to which they were VOIEStalltly subjected without redress, was still pending. The amendment prohibited the re turn on certificate of Chinamen once here who Went back to China, declared 1111 such certificates VOW, and practically made Chinese' exclusion per manent. This act angered the Chinese Govern ment, which did not ratify the treaty. The act of 1882 expired in 1892, and the (:ear• laW con tinuing the exclusion for a further period of ten years was passed .Nlay 5, 1892. President Roose velt recommended in his message to Congress, 1)..cember. 1901, the continuance of this policy, and the general sentiment both in and out of Congress still favors Chinese exclusion and will demand further legislation to this end.
The methods by which Chinese exclusion has been accomplishi•d have not above reproach. but public opinion forced radical action on the part of the Government. It is asserted by those who advocate Chinese exclusion that the Chinese come here not in families. hut chiefly as male laborers for a temporary stay, to secure about $1500 in savings and then return to China with a competency. The difference between the Ameri can and Chinese civilization makes it almost im possible to assimilate them. They work for low wages and live very cheaply. Whether or not they would ever come to this country in suffieient numliers to constitute a menace to the economic interests of Anteriean labor, which the American workingman supposes, is doubtful.
The number of Chinese who came to the United States from 1848 to 1852. when they be gan to come as a result of the gold discoveries, is estimated at 10,000. From I852 to 1854 the excess of arrivals over departures amounted to 31,561. During the next 15 years the animal de partures were about as great as the annual ar rivals: IS63 showed a net gain of 1;876. and from that year down to 1876 the net gain was about 11,000 per annum. The census of ISSO showed 105.465, exclusive of Hawaii: 1890, 107,488: 1900, 89,863. Consult Mayo-Smith, Emigration and Immigration (New York, 1895). See Immt GRATION.